Tack fastener and stripper

ABSTRACT

A combined tack and tape remover comprises an elongated flat strip of metal terminating in a ring which serves as a finger grip for a user. The strip includes a hole large enough to receive the shank of a standard thumbtack (for example) but smaller than the head of the thumbtack so that the strap is positioned between the head of the tack and the surface into which the tack is inserted. When it is desired to remove the tack, the elongated strip is pulled upwardly by means of the finger grip.

[4 1 Aug. 12, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Thomas 85/16 9/1894 United Kingdom................ 85/16 846,222 8/1952 Germany 949,847 3/1949 France Primary ExaminerOthell M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or FirmDarby & Darby :22] Filed:

:21]' Appl. No.: 480,048

ABSTRACT :52] U.S.Cl. 254/18 A combined tack and p remover Comprises an 2 l' gg g237 9 elongated flat strip of metal terminating in a ring 22O6/338 93/1 which serves as a finger grip for a user. The strip in- 40/152 eludes a hole large enough to receive the shank of a standard thumbtack (for example) but smaller than the head of the thumbtack so that the strap is posi- 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS tioned between the head of the tack and the surface into which the tack is inserted. When it is desired to remove the tack, the elongated Strip is pulled upwardly by means of the finger grip.

3,121,365 2/1964 Hayashi 85/16 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7/1948 85/16 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures TACK FASTENER AND STRIPPER This invention relates to thumbtacks or the like and, in particular, to an article of manufacture intended to facilitate the removal of tacks after their insertion into a surface.

The present invention provides a tack remover which can be used to facilitate the removal of conventional thumbtacks from objects of any description without the need for special tools and with minimum risk of injury to the object into which the tack has been inserted.

There have been previous efforts to provide thumbtacks which are readily removable after insertion, but known devices of this type have been of limited utility. Representative constructions of removable tacks are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,976,747, 2,550,549 and 2,751,807. Each of these patents discloses a tack construction which can be easily removed after insertion. These patents, however, all disclose tacks which are substantially different from conventional tacks and the articles disclosed therein could not be conveniently used with conventional tacks.

The present invention provides a novel article of manufacture specifically designed for use with conventional thumbtacks to aid in the removal of such tacks without the use of special tools and with minimum damage to the object into which the tack was inserted. According to the invention, a tack remover comprises an elongated flexible strip terminating in a ring which may be readily grasped by the user. The strip includes a small hole through which the shank of the tack can be inserted, the diameter of the hole being less than the diameter of the head of the tack. After the tack has been inserted into an object with the elongated strip resting between the tack head and the object, the tack may be simply removed by pulling upwardly on the elongated strip by means of the ring.

The invention is described in further detail below with reference to the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view; FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing another application of the invention.

Referring to the drawing and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tack remover according to the invention is shown in conjunction with two tacks 12 although the principles of the invention are equally applicable to any number of tacks. The tacks 12 are conventional and include elongated shanks 14 which terminate in sharp points 16, extending transversely from generally flat heads 18. The tack remover comprises an elongated strip which terminates at one end in an annulus or ring 22 which, as explained below, functions as a finger grip so that a person can readily manipulate the device by insertion of a finger through the ring.

The elongated strip is made of a tough flexible material, such as aluminum and may include a suitable fold line 23 so that it will bend upwardly as shown in FIG. 2 to aid in application of a vertical force to the head of the tack. The strip 20 includes holes 27 and 29 for receiving the shanks of tacks 12. The diameter of the holes 27 and 29 is less than that of the heads 18 of the tacks so that the tacks can be removed from an object by pulling on the ring 22.

In using the tack remover of the invention, one or more tacks are inserted through the holes 27 and 29 in the elongated strip 20 and into an object so that the strip is positioned between the surface of the object and the head of the tack. When desired to remove the tack, the user merely inserts his finger through the ring 22 and pulls on the strip with sufficient force to remove the tack. It is not necessary to use special tools nor is there any danger of the user injuring himself in attempting to insert his fingernail beneath the head of the tack.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tack remover according to the invention may have utility in other applications such as, for example, in stripping tape from packages or the like. Thus, when a strip of tape 30 is applied over the elongated strip 20 with the finger grip 22 extending therefrom, when the strip is pulled by the user, the tape 30 will be stripped from the surface of the package.

A suitable material for the elongated strip is aluminum and the construction may be generally similar to the construction of the tear-away soft drink cans in common use with the edges of the ring 22 being rolled to avoid injury to the user.

What is claimed is:

l. A tack and tape remover for lifting a conventional tack, having a head, or adhesive tape from a surface to which it has been affixed comprising:

a flat elongated strip with a distal end having an aperture with a diameter less than the diameter of said head, and a proximal end, and

a rigid integrally formed ring, connected to said strip at said proximal end, normally coplanar with said strip and of thickness substantially equal to or less than the combined thickness of said strip and said tack head,

said ring being large enough to be manually grasped by inserting a human adult finger therethrough and said strip being made of a flexible substantially inelastic material so that said ring, when grasped, is movable from said normal position coplanar with said strip to a position substantially transverse to the plane of said strip for pulling said tack or tape in a direction substantially normal to said surface. 

1. A tack and tape remover for lifting a conventional tack, having a head, or adhesive tape from a surface to which it has been affixed comprising: a flat elongated strip with a distal end having an aperture with a diameter less than the diameter of said head, and a proximal end, and a rigid integrally formed ring, connected to said strip at said proximal end, normally coplanar with said strip and of thickness substantially equal to or less than the combined thickness of said strip and said tack head, said ring being large enough to be manually grasped by inserting a human adult finger therethrough and said strip being made of a flexible substantially inelastic material so that said ring, when grasped, is movable from said normal position coplanar with said strip to a position substantially transverse to the plane of said strip for pulling said tack or tape in a direction substantially normal to said surface. 